Legionnaires' disease outbreak: Fifth person dies

A mother-of-four has become the fifth person to die following the Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, police said today.

June Miles, 56, from Barrow, was treated in hospital after contracting the pneumonia-like bug.

The woman, who was also grandmother to five children, was discharged from Furness General Hospital three weeks ago after appearing to recover but died at her home on Saturday, a Cumbria Police spokesman said.

It is not clear whether the Legionnella infection was the cause of her death, police said.

The total number of confirmed cases of the disease, which is the biggest outbreak in the UK for more than a decade, now stands at 133.

Ian Cumming, chief executive of Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust, said the hospital was "saddened" to hear of the death.

He said Ms Miles was treated for Legionnaires' disease earlier this month and discharged three weeks ago after making a "good recovery".

"Given her apparent good recovery form the disease, at this stage it cannot be confirmed that her death was definitely related to the legionnella infection.

"Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with the family and friends of this lady at this terrible time for them."

Barrow coroner Ian Smith is now assessing the findings of a post-mortem to determine whether or not Legionnaires' disease was a key factor in the death.

The source of the outbreak was blamed on a 30-year-old air conditioning system at the town's Forum 28 leisure centre.

Seven people have been infected with the disease in a separate outbreak in the West Midlands.

A 50-year-old man from the Oldbury area died on Sunday and six other people - two men and four women - needed hospital treatment.

The source of the outbreak has not been identified but one site which health and safety experts have been examining is the Oldbury-based chemical plant run by Rhodia Consumer Specialities, which is near where many of the patients live and where two of them work.

Tests on about 20 water cooling towers and air conditioning systems were carried out over the weekend to see if the plant was the source of the outbreak. The results are expected within 10 days.

A relative of Mrs Miles later said the family was too distressed to speak.

Speaking from the home Mrs Miles shared with her husband George, the relative said: "It is really not a good time at the moment. We just want to be left alone to grieve in private."

Mr Cumming said staff at Furness General Hospital, where Mrs Miles was treated, were still "very concerned" about the health of two patients affected by the disease.

Of the five remaining in intensive care, one was "very poorly" and another was described as being "poorly but stable".

A further 17 patients were also in hospital, the majority of whom were making "good progress".

Mr Cumming added that he was pleased with the way the outbreak had been dealt with.

"It has been the best example of co-operation between the hospital, GPs, the ambulance trust and the police that I have seen in my career in the NHS," he said.

"Even including the latest death, the mortality rate would still be below 5%."

When the outbreak was initially identified, Mr Cumming said he expected to see up to 15% of those treated for confirmed or suspected Legionnaires' disease to die.